Adriane Ohanesian

Career

Ohanesian began covering news in South Sudan for Reuters in 2012, working as a staff photographer for about two years. During that time she photographed Sudanese refugees in South Sudan, clashes in the Nuba Mountains of South Kordofan, and the dispute over oil resources along the contested Sudan–South Sudan border. She attended the Eddie Adams Workshop in 2014, where National Geographic recognized her work, and was named one of Magnum Photos' top 30 Under 30 photographers that same year.

In early 2015 she undertook an expedition to the rebel-controlled Jebel Marra region of Darfur, an area the Sudanese government had closed to journalists, United Nations agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Working with Dutch journalist Klaas van Dijken, she spent roughly two weeks there, traveling mostly on foot and by donkey for ten to twelve hours daily to bypass government checkpoints. Her photographs showed civilians hiding in caves from aerial bombardment, destroyed villages, and the aftermath of attacks by Sudanese government forces and allied Janjaweed militias.

In 2015 she received LensCulture's Emerging Talent Award for images of women soldiers in rebel territory. One photograph from the expedition—of a seven-year-old severely burned when a bomb was dropped near his home—won second prize in the Contemporary Issues singles category at the 2016 World Press Photo contest. Ohanesian has stated that the Sudanese government's policy of denial kept the conflict underreported, as authorities blocked journalists, the UN, and NGOs from rebel areas.

She described a commitment to the people she photographed to disseminate the images and draw attention to the violence. The IWMF award jury noted her skill in capturing emotional resonance and her courage in bearing witness with honesty and dignity.